Ball wedge vending machine modules

ABSTRACT

A replaceable vending machine merchandise dispensing module having endless-chain-mounted, merchandise supporting means which prevent improper dislodging of merchandise and ensure proper discharge therefrom, and which module is readily and mechanically insertable in or removable from the vending machine together with its merchandise supporting means without moving the drive motor, the electrical components or disconnecting the latter.

United States Patent 1191 Stoltz et al. June 4, 1974 BALL WEDGE VENDING MACHINE 1.823.093 9/1931 Du Grenier 221/84 MODULES 2,665,184 l/l954 Hord 221/84 2,789,726 4/1957 Wilson 221/84 [75] ntors: James P. Stoltz; James V. Bruckner; 3,601,281 8/1971 Schlat 221/75 Thomas O. Yingst, all of Conway, Primary Examiner-Robert B. Reeves [73] Assignee; polyvend, Inc" Conway, Ark Assistant ExaminerTh0maS E. Kocovsky [22] Flled: July 27, 1972 [57] ABSTRACT [21] Appl' 273978 A replaceable vending machine merchandise dispens- I ing module having endless-chain-mounted, merchan [52] us. Cl. 221/85 dise upp t ng means which prevent improper dis- [51] Int. Cl. G071 11/52 g g of merchandise and ensure P p discharge [58] Field of Search 221/89, 75-86; therefrom, d ch m dule is readily and mechani- |98/179, 180 cally insertable in or removable from the vending machine together with its merchandise supporting means [5 Refe e Cit d without moving the drive motor, the electrical compo- UNITED STATES PATENTS nents or disconnecting the latter.

217,102 7/1879 Hatfield 198/179 '24 Claims, 17 Drawing Figures BALL WEDGE VENDING MACHINE MODULES This invention relates generally to merchandise dispensing modules for vending machines and more particularly to a replaceable vending module which the service man may easily and quickly reload with merchandise packages which are suspended by their tabs regardless of whether the tab is imperforate or perforated, which will allow a relatively unobstructed display of the product, and which will prevent the theft of merchandise therefrom by improper tilting and shaking of the vending machine to dislodge the packages into the discharge bin.

Accordingly, the main object of the present invention is to provide an improved replaceable vending machine merchandise dispensing module that is quickly and easily loaded to thus require a minimum of service time, and does not require a hole punched in the tab of the merchandise container or other special tailoring of the merchandise package.

Another main object of the present invention is to provide a replaceable vending machine dispensing module having improved endless-chaimhounted, merchandise supporting means which prevents improper dislodging of merchandise and ensures proper discharge therefrom.

An important object-of the present invention is to provide an improved replaceable vending machine merchandise dispensing module which is readily and mechanically insertable in or removable therefrom without disconnecting the electrical components or drive motor from its support.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide improved endless-chain-mounted, merchandise supporting means in which the individual merchandise supporting means comprise the various links of the chain.

A further important object of the present invention is to provide novel chain links which include wedge type merchandise supporting means.

A still further important object of the present invention is to provide novel wedge type merchandise supporting means wherein the shaking of a vending machine to improperly dislodge the merchandise packages from the module wedges results in their being more securely held by the wedge members.

A still further important object of the present invention is to provide an improved dispensing module that will allow unobstructed display of the imperforate merchandise packages.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following description.

In the drawings, we have shown five embodiments of the invention. In these showings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view ofa vending machine showing the manner in which a plurality of merchandise dispensing modules are mounted therein;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view to an enlarged scale of a module employing the preferred form of the invention with the dotted lines indicating a vending module position of partial insertion in or removal from its support in the vending machine;

FIG. 3 is an end elevational view thereof showing how the shaft of the drive pulley is withdrawn from its mechanical connection with the drive shaft of the drive motor without disturbing the electrical components or removing the motor;

FIG. 4- is a top plan view thereof with parts being shown in phantom in the positions of and functioning as in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of a plurality of connected chain links forming and including the merchandise supporting wedges of the invention, parts being shown in phantom;

FIG. 6 is a similar view illustrating the cam action of a following chain link on a preceding chain link as it starts upward about the chain idler sprocket, to lift the wedges therein and release the merchandise package;

FIG. 7 is a vertical, central longitudinal sectional view of a preferred embodiment of the chain link;

FIG. 8 is a transverse sectional view thereof taken on the line 8-8 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is an exploded view thereof; 1

FIGS. 10-13 inclusive are schematic views illustrating the initial grip of a merchandise package by the ball wedges and how shaking the vending machine, only results in the packages being held more firmly; and

FIGS. 14-17 are side elevational views of other embodiments of the invention. Y

Referring now to the drawings, numeral 20 designates a coin operated vending machine as a whole which comprises a metal or fiberglass cabinet 21 suitably supported on legs and/or rollers (not shown). The cabinet 21 is provided with a front access door having a glass merchandise viewing panel and a rear door hinged as at 26 to provide access to the rear face of a vertical module support panel 34. The front face of the cabinet 21 includes a coin receiving slot and a coin return slot (not shown), a plurality of merchandise selector buttons 31 (one for each vending module), and a merchandise dispensing bin 32 to which access is had by a pivoted door 33. A plurality of horizontally and vertically spaced, inverted-U-shaped dispensing module housings 36 are fixed to the front of vertical brackets 38 which have drive motors 40 fixed to their rear faces and these units are supported on the panel 34 and extend through openings therein and forwardly toward the front of the cabinet 21 (FIG. 1). The drive shaft of each of the motors 40 terminates in a rectangular coupling member 42 (FIGS. 3 and 4) which is in axial alignment with a similarly shaped notch in the female coupling member 44 forming the end of the shaft 45 of the drive sprocket 46 of each dispensing module.

Each dispensing module 50 (FIGS. 1-4) is elongated and also has an inverted U-shape in lateral crosssection with its bottom edges having coextensive intumed flanges 52 to support a merchandise supporting chain 54 by the transversely extending hinge pins 56 of each link, to prevent chain sagging. The chain 54 is supported on the module 50 by a front idler sprocket mounted on a shaft 58 suitably journalled in the module 50, and on a drive sprocket 46 axially aligned with and driven by the motor 40 when the dispensing module 50 is in operational position in its housing 36.

The dispensing module 50 is provided with a longituinner movement being prevented by a stop 68 on the housing 36. The stop 66 is engaged by a shoulder 70 on a spring arm 72 which is depressed to free the dispensing module 50 for intentional withdrawal from its housing 36.

The merchandise packages P are easily loaded onto each of the dispensing modules by inserting their upper tabs into each of the links 74 where they are retained by a novel and very important wedge action against all improper efforts to dislodge them by shaking or rocking the vending machine 20.

The chain 54 is composed of a plurality of identical links 74 preferably formed of plastic although they may be formed of metal or other suitable material. As is well shown in FIG. 7, the link 74 includes a rigid front wall 75 having a bulge 76 with inclined surfaces on its rear face and a rigid rear wall 77 which with the bulge, support a plurality of cylindrical wedge members 80 between them (two being shown). The walls 75 and 77 are connected by rigid side walls 78 which extend upwardly to include a laterally projecting hinge pin 56 (FIGS. 3-8). Extending forwardly of the hinge pin is a flexible spacer 79 terminating in a horseshoe-shaped hinge-pin-engaging pintle member 81 which is adapted to engage the central position (due to the sprocket holes 82 of the spacer) of the hinge pin 56 of the next forwardly positioned link 74. The legs of the pintle member 81 perform as cams as will be seen. The spacing of the hinge pin 56 from the pintle member 81 was chosen to exactly equal the forward movement ofa link during one dispensing.

A part of the bottom of the links 78 is closed by an L-shaped wedge lifter 84 having a pivot pin 86 whose ends are received in notches 88 formed in the link sides 78 as pivot points. The top of the link is closed by a Z- shaped slide 90 having lower lateral side flanges 91 to track in the inner faces of the walls 78. The depending edge 92 of the slide 90 is tapered to engage the inner face ofthe tapered end 85 ofthe upper leg ofthe wedge lifter 84. The upturned edge 94 of the slide 90 terminates directly under the hinge pin 56 and between the legs of any adjacent pintle member 81.

It will now become apparent that as a package of merchandise P arrives at the front of the vending machine cabinet 20 as a result of the deposit ofa coin, depression of a selector button 31, and operation of the motor 40 through a cycle, the package supporting link 74 will start to move upwardly about the idler sprocket 55. This causes that particular link to become angularly disposed with respect to the next following link 74 (FIG. 6) and the legs of the pintle member 81 cam the upturned edge 94 of the slide 90 to the right. The downturned edge 92 pivots the wedge lifter 84 about its pivot 86 so that its lower leg raises the wedges 80 to release the tab of a merchandise package P which falls into the discharge bin 32. This action is thus automatically repeated as each package carrying link 74 reaches and starts upwardly about the idler sprocket 55.

While one wedge member of the various types shown securely holds a package, it has been discovered that the employment ofa plurality of wedge members 80 results in a merchandise package P being securely retained by the wedges despite the most severe shaking of the vending machine cabinet 21 as occurs in barracks, dormitories, etc. This is clearly and schematically illustrated in FIGS. -13 inclusive.

FIG. 10 shows the approximate position of a package as inserted by the stocker. When the machine is moved to cause the package to tilt to the right (FIG. 11), the left hand wedge holds tight while the right side of the package moves upwardly. The reverse is true (FIG. 12) when the cabinet is reversely tilted and the right wedge holds tight while the left side of the package moves upwardlya Ultimately, the package works its way upwardly to the limit of the link 74.

Other forms of wedges may be employed as shown in FIG. 14 where one or a plurality of spring pressed balls 96 are employed; in FIG. 15 where one or a plurality of spring pressed pivoted levers 97 are shown; in FIG. 16 where one or more spring pressed pivoted wedge shaped members 98 are used; and in FIG. 17 wherein one or more pivoted offset cams 99 are employed.

It is to be understood that the forms of our invention herewith shown and described are to be taken as preferred examples of the same and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resortedto without departure from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

What is claimed is: y

1. An endless chain disposed over a pair of spaced sprockets for dispensing packages comprising a plurality of identical links connected together to form the chain; each of said links having an integral hinge pin and a connected pintle member spaced therefrom for pivotally engaging the hinge pin' of an adjacent link and a plurality of automatically operable wedge means mounted on said links for supporting and transporting packages from one position to another; said pintle member being mounted on one link and engageable with an adjacent link upon motion of said adjacent link about a sprocket to cam open said wedge means and to effect discharge of a package therefrom 2. A vending machine comprising-in combination, a cabinet; a vertical panel support mounted therein; at least one rigid, elongated inverted U-shaped housing directly mounted on said support and extending forwardly thereof; a drive motor connected to said housing adjacent said support; a smaller U-shaped merchandise dispensing module slidably and detachably mounted inand supported by said housing and substantially encompassed thereby; an endless merchandise supporting chain conveyor arranged on spaced driving and driven sprockets mounted in said module with said driving sprocket axially aligned with the drive shaft of said motor for direct drive thereby; and slip coupling means directly connecting said motor shaft and said drive sprocket to enable sliding removal of said module and said conveyor from said housing without disconnection of said motor from its support.

3. The combination recited in claim 2; and latch means mounted on said housing and said module for retaining said module in operative position in said housing.

4. The combination recited in claim 2 wherein each link of said chain includes a plurality of wedge means for engaging and supporting the merchandise.

5. The combination recited in claim 4 wherein said wedge means are cylinders.

6. The combination recited in claim 4 wherein said wedge means are spherical.

7. The combination recited in claim 4 wherein said means are wedge shaped.

8. The combination recited in claim 4 wherein said wedge means are spring urged pivoted levers.

9. The combination recited in claim 4 wherein said wedge means are offset pivoted cams.

10. The combination of claim 4 wherein said wedge means are automatically released to release the merchandise upon movement of a link about said driven sprocket.

11. The combination recited in claim 2 wherein each link of said chain includes an automatically operable wedge for engaging and supporting the merchandise.

12. The combination recited in claim 11 wherein wedge is a cylinder.

13. The combination recited in claim 11 wherein said wedge is a ball.

14. The combination recited in claim 11 wherein said wedge is of tapered wedge shape.

15. The combination recited in claim 11 wherein said wedge is a spring urged, pivoted lever.

16. The combination recited in claim 11 wherein said wedge is an offset pivoted cam.

17. The combination recited in claim 11 wherein said wedge is automatically released to release the mer chandise upon movement of a link about said driven sprocket.

18. A merchandise holding and releasing link for an endless chain formed of identical links and trained about driving and driven sprockets comprising a sprocket engaging web having a hinge pin at its rear end and a horseshoe shaped pintle member at its forward end for engagement with the hinge pin of the adjacent link; a pair of spaced side walls depending from the rear of said web; a rear wall and a front wall spaced therefrom and having a shoulder adjacent the bottom thereof; a plurality of merchandise package engaging wedge members mounted on said shoulder within said walls; an L-shaped wedge lifter pivoted to the rear'of said side walls with its horizontal leg positioned under said wedge members; a top link closing slide having a down turned portion bearing against the inner face of the vertical leg of said wedge lifter and an upturned portion positioned under said hinge pin and adapted to be straddled by said horseshoe pintle member of a following link whereby upon an angular relationship between said link and the following'link, said slide is cammed rearwardly by the pintle member of the following link to pivot said wedge lifter and release merchandise packages from their position between said wedge members and said shoulders.

19. The combination recited in claim 18 wherein said wedge members are cylindrical.

20. The combination recited in claim 18 wherein said wedge members are spherical.

21. The combination recited in claim 18 wherein said wedge members are wedge shaped.

22. The combination recited in claim 18 wherein said wedge members are spring urged pivotal levers.

23. The combination recited in claim 18 wherein said wedge members are offset pivoted cams.

24. The combination recited in claim 18; and spring means acting against said slide and against said wedge members to urge them against said shoulders. 

1. An endless chain disposed over a pair of spaced sprockets for dispensing packages comprising a plurality of identical links connected together to form the chain; each of said links having an integral hinge pin and a connected pintle member spaced therefrom for pivotally engaging the hinge pin of an adjacent link, and a plurality of automatically operable wedge means mounted on said links for supporting and transporting packages from one position to another; said pintle member being mounted on one link and engageable with an adjacent link upon motion of said adjacent link about a sprocket to cam open said wedge means and to effect discharge of a package therefrom
 2. A vending machine comprising in combination, a cabinet; a vertical panel support mounted therein; at least one rigid, elongated inverted U-shaped housing directly mounted on said support and extending forwardly thereof; a drive motor connected to said housing adjacent said support; a smaller U-shaped merchandise dispensing module slidably and detachably mounted in and supported by said housing and substantially encompassed thereby; an endless merchandise supporting chain conveyor arranged on spaced driving and driven sprockets mounted in said module with said driving sprocket axially aligned with the drive shaft of said motor for direct drive thereby; and slip coupling means directly connecting said motor shaft and said drive sprocket to enable sliding removal of said module and said conveyor from said housing without disconnection of said motor from its support.
 3. The combination recited in claim 2; and latch means mounted on said housing and said module for retaining said module in operative position in said housing.
 4. The combination recited in claim 2 wherein each link of said chain includes a plurality of wedge means for engaging and supporting the merchandise.
 5. The combination recited in claim 4 wherein said wedge means are cylinders.
 6. The combination recited in claim 4 wherein said wedge means are spherical.
 7. The combination recited in claim 4 wherein said means are wedge shaped.
 8. The combination recited in claim 4 wherein said wedge means are spring urged pivoted levers.
 9. The combination recited in claim 4 wherein said wedge means are offset pivoted cams.
 10. The combination of claim 4 wherein said wedge means are automatically released to release the merchandise upon movement of a link about said driven sprocket.
 11. The combination recited in claim 2 wherein each link of said chain includes an automatically operable wedge for engaging and supporting the merchandise.
 12. The combination recited in claim 11 wherein wedge is a cylinder.
 13. The combination recited in claim 11 wherein said wedge is a ball.
 14. The combination recited in claim 11 wherein said wedge is of tapered wedge shape.
 15. The combination recited in claim 11 wherein said wedge is a spring urged, pivoted lever.
 16. The combination recited in claim 11 wherein said wedge is an offset pivoted cam.
 17. The combination recited in claim 11 wherein said wedge is automatically released to release the merchandise upon movement of a link about said driven sprocket.
 18. A merchandise holding and releasing link for an endless chain formed of identical links and trained about driving and driven sprockets comprising a sprocket engaging web having a hinge pin at its rear end and a horseshoe shaped pintle member at its forward end for engagement with the hinge pin of the adjacent link; a pair of spaced side walls depending from the rear of said web; a rear wall and a front wall spaced therefrom and having a shoulder adjacent the bottom thereof; a plurality of merchandise package engaging wedge members mounted on said shoulder within said walls; an L-shaped wedge lifter pivoted to the rear of said side walls with its horizontal leg positioned under said wedge members; a Top link closing slide having a down turned portion bearing against the inner face of the vertical leg of said wedge lifter and an upturned portion positioned under said hinge pin and adapted to be straddled by said horseshoe pintle member of a following link whereby upon an angular relationship between said link and the following link, said slide is cammed rearwardly by the pintle member of the following link to pivot said wedge lifter and release merchandise packages from their position between said wedge members and said shoulders.
 19. The combination recited in claim 18 wherein said wedge members are cylindrical.
 20. The combination recited in claim 18 wherein said wedge members are spherical.
 21. The combination recited in claim 18 wherein said wedge members are wedge shaped.
 22. The combination recited in claim 18 wherein said wedge members are spring urged pivotal levers.
 23. The combination recited in claim 18 wherein said wedge members are offset pivoted cams.
 24. The combination recited in claim 18; and spring means acting against said slide and against said wedge members to urge them against said shoulders. 